House Passes Budget, Prepares to Move Past Pandemic Economy
HARRISBURG -With nearly one week to go before the state budget deadline, the House today passed a responsible budget that fully funds the core functions of state government with no new taxes or fee increases.
“I voted for this budget because it is an optimistic, forward-looking financial plan that fully funds education, human services, law enforcement, corrections and much more, while also putting money aside for the future,” said Rep. Craig Staats (R-Bucks).
The 2021-22 budget includes $39.78 billion in state revenues and more than $1 billion in federal pandemic relief funds. It will also set aside $2.5 billion in the state’s Rainy Day Fund, bringing it to a record $2.8 billion, and preserves more than $5 billion of federal relief funds to aid future budgets.
“Senate Bill 255 will help us rise above and move past the pandemic that has plagued us for the past year and a half,” said Staats. “This budget will help Pennsylvania citizens and small business owners who have been struggling to survive and to restore public confidence in our economic future. As we strive to restart our economy, this bill is a step in the right direction.”
The budget provides $279 million in federal relief funds for transportation infrastructure, $44 million for career and technical schools and $282 million to help nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes. It also allocates $3.1 million to fund the Bureau of Election Audits to ensure voter confidence in our elections.
“As a member of the House Education Committee, I am particularly proud of the record amount of education funding being allocated in this budget. Senate Bill 255 provides $13.6 billion in PreK-12 education funding, an increase of $300 million. It includes $30 million more for Early Childhood Education programs and $50 million more for special education.”
Schools in the 145th Legislative District will receive the following:
• Quakertown Community $10.9 million, up 3.2%
• Palisades $ 3.1 million, up 0 .8%
• Pennridge $ 11.7 million, up 2.1%
The budget bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Craig Staats
145th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
RepStaats.net /
Facebook.com/RepStaats